My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

Rachel set the cake box down on a stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer some to anyone, a group

cake is

hand, she lifted a knife and a paper plate, preparing to cut

candles out of a box to the side. “Today is Miss Rachel’s birthday.

that, the head of the group, which happened to be a little girl

must sing the

must close her eyes

must blow

that there was no need to go to

and had the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of young voices would have a healing effect on any

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

to say it in your heart and not out loud, or the wish won’t come true,” a very young voice piped up beside

wasn’t even at table height yet looking up at her with

hands and made a wish. After that, she blew out the candles

you!”

the children raced off, dabbing icing on each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in the community suddenly seemed

the streetlamp, Rachel finally smiled for the first time in days.

her apartment building, Julian continued, “The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don’t need

wanted it, anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that

the topic and told her, “Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting colder lately, so make sure to

turned and headed toward

inside her apartment and about to close

the door was propped

up, Rachel saw Justin glowering at her, his darkened face made all the more grotesque by the centipede-like scar on

he out on business?

sideways into the house and shut the door before surveying the

been getting along fine without

steps back.

toward her as he pulled off his necktie and

like unmelting icebergs as he sneered, “I suppose you wouldn’t want me to

approached her, forcing her back inch by

had no idea what she

staggered